IMRAD Format Explained: How to Structure a Scientific Manuscript for Clarity and Impact

One of the most useful acronyms in a medical communicator’s toolkit is IMRAD, sometimes written as IMRaD. This represents a common organizational system for scientific research papers: introduction, methods, results, and discussion.

How can you use the IMRAD format to organize manuscripts, and what benefit does it provide?

In this blog, you'll learn why the IMRAD system matters and how to structure documents using the format.

Overview of the IMRAD Format

Each section in the IMRAD structure serves a specific role:

• The introduction sets up the research question.
• The methods explain how the study was carried out.
• The results present the outcomes and data.
• The discussion interprets the findings in context.

Why is IMRAD a useful tool for medical communicators? Read on to find out.

Bringing a Common Structure to Research Reports

According to a history of IMRAD, scientific papers were published for two centuries without a standard format. Finally, in the 1970s, IMRAD emerged as an accepted structure.

Today, the IMRAD format provides a clear, logical flow that helps readers quickly and clearly understand

• The purpose of a study
• How it was conducted
• What results were found
• Why the research matters

IMRAD Format Components: Step by Step

1. Title and Abstract

Although not formally part of the IMRAD structure, two important pieces appear before the introduction in a scientific paper: the title and the abstract. The title should be clear, concise, searchable, and interesting. It answers the question, What is the research about? 

The abstract is the condensed version of the IMRAD report structure—a summary of the methods, results, and implications of the research study. Abstracts answer the question, What is the story in a nutshell? 

2. Introduction

The introduction describes the problem that the study investigated. Fundamental questions answered in the introduction are, What did you do? Why did you do it? The underlying question for the reader is, Why should I care? 

Guidelines suggest that the introduction address these topics:

• What is the problem? This includes a summary of relevant research to provide context.

• Why is it important? Again, related research provides a rationale. What question, new method, or different population does the study address?

• What solution (or step toward a solution) do you propose? The description of the experiment should include a brief summary of the hypothesis, research questions, the general design of the experiment, and justification of the methods. 

3. Methods

The methods section highlights the research approach and why it was chosen. Information in this section should answer

• What type of scientific procedure was used?

• What materials, subjects, or equipment were necessary to conduct the research? 

• What steps were taken? 

4. Results

The results section describes observations from the experiment or procedure. Results should be supported by relevant data organized in a logical way, such as from least to most significant or basic to more complicated. This section is not the place to interpret the results. 

5. Discussion

The discussion section answers the question, What do the results mean?

This section explains the results of the study, reports whether the objectives were achieved, and shares the limitations of the research. It explores patterns, principles, and relationships discovered. This is the place to compare and contrast the results with those in prior research and literature.

The discussion also includes implications for future research and application, since it builds on a body of prior knowledge to advance the scientific literature. 

6. Additional Sections

The IMRAD structure features only four sections, but many research papers have additional sections: a conclusion and acknowledgments.

The conclusion does not repeat information from the discussion section, but it can further explore the significance of the major findings. Acknowledgments is a self-explanatory section where the researchers and authors credit those who contributed to the paper. In addition, all scientific publications include a references section that includes a list of cited sources.

Common IMRAD Challenges

When putting together IMRAD sections, medical communications should be careful to avoid these common pitfalls:

• An introduction that doesn't clearly explain the research's significance
• An abstract that doesn't outline the key findings
• A disorganized or too general methods section
• Comments and observations in the results section

Resources for Medical Communicators

For medical communicators seeking resources to organize and polish scientific manuscripts, journal articles, and other documents, AMWA’s Medical Editing Checklist provides general guidelines for macroediting, microediting, and other editing essentials. With the editing checklist, the IMRAD framework, and other tools to sharpen scientific documents, medical communicators can feel confident when submitting a research paper for publication.

Conclusion: The Benefits of the IMRAD Format for Medical Communicators

Medical communicators can advance their careers by understanding how to present research studies in the IMRAD format. To recap,

• Apply the components of the IMRAD format to help organize and standardize scientific research reports.
• Ensure appropriate information is included in each section.
• Avoid common pitfalls that weaken the clarity or logic of each section.

By adopting a standard format widely recognizable by the medical and scientific community, medical communicators can make research processes and outcomes easier for readers to digest and understand.